Retail 2024: KATE MORA
Kroger tapped Mora to lead its mid-Atlantic division in August. She replaced Lori Raya, who retired after holding the role since 2021. Mora joined Kroger in 2022 as vice president on special assignment supporting End-to-End Fresh, an initiative designed to get the freshest food to shoppers. She went on to serve as vice president[...]
Economic Development 2024: BUDDY RIZER
Loudoun County has landed approximately $8 billion in new commercial investment for fiscal year 2024, according to the county’s economic development department. This year, construction began on the $3 billion Rivana at Innovation Station project, a 6.4 million-square-foot mixed-use development. Rizer has headed LoudounR[...]
Insurance 2024: ALBERTO SCHIAVON
After earning an MBA at the University of Manchester in England, Schiavon started work at the U.K.’s Admiral Group as an international pricing manager. The Italian executive has led Elephant Insurance, the Admiral Group’s U.S. car insurance segment, since 2017. In a 2023 financial report for the Admiral Group, Schi[...]
Law 2024: JASON R. DAVIS
Davis became president and CEO of Hampton Roads-based Kaufman & Canoles in April, succeeding William R. Van Buren III, who led the firm for 16 years and is now chairman. The transition took place after an 18-month strategic planning process at Kaufman & Canoles, which has roots dating back to 1919. Davis, who joined Kaufman […]
Transportation 2024: JOSEPH P. ‘JOE’ RUDDY
Ruddy, who has served two terms as COO, from 2011 to 2014, and since 2021, oversees information technology, safety, security, expansion projects and maintenance for the Virginia Port Authority affiliate that runs the Port of Virginia. That’s always a big job, but the past year has added some extra challenges. This spring, [...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2024: PHEBE N. NOVAKOVIC
Novakovic has led General Dynamics, the world’s sixth largest aerospace and defense company, since 2013. During her tenure as CEO, General Dynamics won the Navy’s largest-ever contract, up to $24.2 billion, to build nuclear submarines. The Fortune Global 500 company employs more than 100,000 people and recorded $42.3[...]
Real Estate 2024: JON M. PETERSON
Founded in 1965 by Peterson’s late father, Milt, Peterson Cos. is responsible for some of the most prominent and successful mixed-use retail, residential and office developments in Northern Virginia and Maryland, including Fairfax Corner, Fair Lakes, National Harbor, Burke Centre and Tysons McLean Office Park. Peterson, wh[...]
Health Care 2024: ANTHONY ‘TONY’ BAKER
Baker leads Fortune 500 pharma manufacturer Merck’s vaccine operations in Elkton. The company founded a plant in the Rockingham County town in 1941. Early in his career, Baker spent seven years at Pennsylvania-based Biopharm Project Solutions as a senior process specialist. He joined Merck in 2008 as a process engineer and[...]
Federal Contractors | Technology 2024: DAVID LEVY
In October 2023, Levy was tapped to lead Amazon Web Service’s worldwide public sector business, overseeing government contracting activities for Amazon.com’s cloud computing subsidiary, as well as business for educational, nonprofit and health care organizations. In 2023, AWS recorded $90 billion in net sales, up fro[...]
Transportation 2024: SHEPPARD ‘SHEP’ MILLER III
A former defense contracting executive and Norfolk native, Miller was appointed secretary by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2022. He is responsible for Virginia’s rail, roads, transit and ports. As chair of the Commonwealth Transportation Board, Miller has a great deal of say on the state’s transportation funding of major ro[...]
Retail 2024: DREW PARKER
Carter Machinery has deep roots in Virginia, tracing back to 1928, when Robert Hill Carter founded Virginia Tractor in Richmond. The company was the state’s first Caterpillar dealership, and it is still going today as an independent dealer with more than 30 locations. It has more than 2,300 employees in Virginia, West Virg[...]
Agriculture 2024: CORWIN HEATWOLE
Sixth-generation chicken farmer Heatwole started his 100% organic and humane-certified chicken company in 2014. Originally named Shenandoah Valley Organic but rebranded as Farmer Focus in 2020, the company lets farmers own their flocks, receive fair compensation and make key decisions. In August 2023, Farmer Focus announced that[...]



















